Researchers and developers are invited to use Microsoft's integrated platform and Practice Fusion's free clinical dataset to find answers for improving public health

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Practice Fusion's Research Division has teamed up with Microsoft's Windows Azure MarketPlace to offer a set of de-identified health information to researchers entirely for free. The companies announced this news as part of the Windows Azure MarketPlace launch today at Microsoft PDC.

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The clinical dataset provided by Practice Fusion's Research Division includes insight on vitals, diagnoses, medications, prescriptions, immunizations and allergies in a de-identified, HIPAA-compliant format. The dataset can be combined with other Microsoft research partners to answer pressing public health questions around obesity trends, drug efficacy, disease outbreaks and treatment outcomes. View a video overview of the Microsoft and Practice Fusion research initiative.

"We are exhilarated to be working together with Microsoft to launch this platform," said Ryan Howard, CEO of Practice Fusion. "What Microsoft is doing with Windows Azure MarketPlace is unlocking key data to make information useful and available. Our HIPAA-compliant clinical information – along with data from partners including the Associated Press, Zillow.com, Data.gov and NASA – is available today to any researcher wanting to better understand the world."

"Microsoft is pleased with Practice Fusion's Research Division decision to integrate their vast data resources through the DataMarket service on the Windows Azure Marketplace," said Moe Khosravy, Microsoft product unit manager of the DataMarket initiative. "Cloud computing is creating a transformative change and opportunity for partners and Practice Fusion is a great example of a company that is taking advantage of DataMarket to provide researchers with free health information."

Key Facts:

• Microsoft and Practice Fusion's Research Division have made a set of HIPAA-compliant health records available for researchers online for free.
• The de-identified, HIPAA-compliant clinical data includes vital signs, diagnoses with ICD-9 codes, medications with NDC codes, prescription events, immunization details and allergic reaction details.
• Windows Azure MarketPlace is creating a global marketplace for information including data, web services and analytics.
• Practice Fusion's Research Division launched in July 2010 with a focus on providing the critical information needed to power clinical research for drug interaction monitoring, disease outbreak reporting and health studies.

Researchers can access the clinical dataset starting today on the Windows Azure MarketPlace website or can learn more about the research partnership at http://www.practicefusion.com/research

About Practice Fusion's Research Division

Practice Fusion's Research Division provides information from one of the largest, longitudinal clinical databases in the US for the purposes of clinical research and public health analysis. With a focus on real-time insight into adverse drug reactions, disease outbreaks and other national health issues, Practice Fusion's Research Division powers studies that are providing new insight into healthcare and how it is delivered. All research information utilized is fully de-identified and compliant with HIPAA cfr 164.514. For more information, please visit http://www.practicefusion.com/research.

About Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion provides a web-based Electronic Medical Record(EMR) system to physicians. With charting, scheduling, e-prescribing, billing, lab integrations, unlimited support and a Personal Health Record for patients, Practice Fusion's EMR addresses the complex needs of today's healthcare providers and disrupts the health IT status quo. Practice Fusion is the fastest growing EMR community in the country with more than 40,000 users. For more information on Practice Fusion, please visit www.practicefusion.com/.

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Ryan Howard

http://www.profnetconnect.com/ryan-howard

SOURCE Practice Fusion

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